With summer approaching, what better time is there to cool off with a nice frozen treat? Be careful which one you choose, though. One customer warns you should stop buying the iconic Drumstick frozen dessert from Nestlé after her strange experience with the product.
In a viral video, Chardae’ Lovelykisses Farabee (@lovelykissesmuah) shows viewers a partially melted Drumstick sitting in a small pool of yellowish liquid in a paper bowl.
“Long story short, stop buying these,” Farabee says. “We had this sitting out overnight, OK? And this is how it look.” In the video’s caption, she tags Nestlé and demands that the company explain itself.
‘Bc it’s not real ice cream..’
In the comments section, viewers pointed out that the dairy treat’s strange state after sitting at room temperature for hours is likely due to the difference between frozen dairy dessert and ice cream.
The first commenter on the video wrote, “When you buy ice cream you gotta make sure it says ice cream because those ‘frozen dairy desserts’ are just frozen oil.”
“It’s not ice cream it’s a frozen dairy dessert. it says it on the box,” user VyxentheMua said.
Another said this applies to other dairy products too. “Same with butter and cheese,” they wrote. “Packing must say ‘CHEESE’ not cheese product or ‘BUTTER’ not vegetable oil.”
What’s the difference between frozen dairy dessert and ice cream?
In the comments section of Farabee’s video, some were confused by how a frozen dairy dessert was different from ice cream when ice cream is frozen, dairy, and most commonly enjoyed for dessert. Still, the FDA does not classify frozen dairy dessert as ice cream. Here’s why:
According to Perry’s Ice Cream, FDA standards dictate “ice cream must (1) contain a minimum of 10% dairy milkfat, and (2) have no more than 100% overrun and weigh at least 4.5 lbs per gallon.”
Overrun refers to the amount of air whipped into the ice cream during the freezing process. For example, ice cream with 100% overrun means that for every gallon of ice cream base, you would end up with two gallons of finished ice cream.
“Products with lower overrun (think premium ice cream like Perry’s) tend to be denser and creamier,” the company states. “Anything that doesn’t meet these standards must be labeled ‘frozen dairy dessert.’”
Does frozen dairy dessert taste different from ice cream?
Perry’s states that many can’t tell the difference or only notice in a side-by-side comparison. However, for ice cream connoisseurs, the difference is evident.
“Ice cream made with a higher fat content and less overrun are richer and creamier, while economy and regular ice creams and frozen dairy desserts are typically less dense and have a lighter and more airy texture,” it says.
Is frozen dairy dessert healthier than ice cream?
Perry’s notes that some frozen dairy desserts have a lower calorie count and fat content than ice cream. However, frozen dairy desserts typically have more added ingredients, which Perry’s encourages you to investigate.
What is ‘premium ice cream’?
You may see some ice cream in the frozen aisle labeled “premium.” It’s not just a fancy marketing gimmick. Like the difference between frozen dairy dessert and ice cream, it’s another way that ice cream is categorized.
Perry’s states that the International Dairy Foods Association has determined there to be four quality segment distinctions.
The first is “economy” ice cream, which meets the FDA’s overrun requirement and sells for a lower price than regular ice cream.
Next is “regular,” which has 10-11% butterfat and 90-100% overrun. Regular ice cream tends to weigh 65g per ½ cup.
Following that is “premium” ice cream, which usually has 11-15% butterfat and 60-90% overrun. It has a lower overrun and higher fat content than regular ice cream and also uses higher-quality ingredients.
Finally, there’s “super-premium,” which uses high-quality ingredients and has very low overrun and high fat content. It typically has an overrun of less than 50% and 14-18% butterfat.
@lovelykissesmuah Explain yourself @Nestlé #YouKnowYouAshy ♬ original sound – Chardae' Lovelykisses Farabee
Why don’t Drumsticks melt?
According to Yahoo!Life, “The reason the desserts don’t melt is because they are made with emulsifiers. These natural or man-made ingredients, which are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), are added to foods, particularly those that are heavily processed, to stabilize them. Think oil and water: These two don’t mix, but when emulsified, they do.”
It continues, “The same thing is happening in Drumsticks: The ingredients don’t mix in a way that satisfies the shelf life or stability of the item, so they add an emulsifier to create the creamy texture we all know and love while also preventing the treats from melting. The emulsifiers used in Drumsticks include soy lecithin, guar gum, monoglycerides, and carob bean gum.”
The outlet notes that despite fear-mongering on social media, emulsifiers are generally considered safe to eat in moderation.
The Mary Sue reached out to Farabee via TikTok direct message and comment. It reached out to Nestlé via press email.
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